Football

ECAC DIVISION III SOUTHEAST CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Delaware Valley 54, The College of New Jersey 37

DOYLESTOWN (PA) - Delaware Valley College sophomore quarterback Adam Knoblauch threw for 322 yards and three touchdowns and also rushed for two scores as the Aggies completed one of the biggest one-year turnarounds in Division III history with a 54-37 victory over The College of New Jersey in the 2003 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Southeast Championship Game.

The Aggies were 2-8 overall, 1-8 and tied for last place in the Middle Atlantic Conference last year. They finished the 2003 campaign with a 9-2 mark, their first-ever trip to the postseason and a championship banner. The 6.5-game turnaround is the fifth-best, one-year improvement in Division III history.

Knoblauch, who was voted the championship game's Most Valuable Player, completed 20 of 38 passes for the 322 yards and three touchdowns. In the process, he broke the school's single-season passing record with 2,528 yards. Knoblauch also added 24 yards on 12 rushes, including the two trips to the end zone to give him eight rushing touchdowns on the year.

Knoblauch rallied Delaware Valley from an early 14-0 deficit as he tossed a nine-yard touchdown pass to Rob Wallace in the first quarter and scored on a four-yard run with 8:56 to go in the second quarter to tie the game.

The two teams then traded a pair of touchdowns for the rest of the first half as the game was tied at 28-28 at the break. The Lions (6-4) got their points on a 33-yard touchdown pass from Bob Schurtz to Cory Schoonover (8:13 left in the half) and a Jon Hedgepeth two-yard scoring run (5:05 left). The Aggies scored their touchdowns on a four-yard run by Taylor Ramos (7:52 left) and a five-yard run by Steve Cook (1:02 left).

Delaware Valley took the lead for good with 6:36 left in the third quarter as Knoblauch hit Don Marshall for a 19-yard touchdown and a 35-28 advantage. It completed an 11-play, 70-yard drive that saw Knoblauch complete five of six passes for 66 yards,

TCNJ appeared ready to tie the game at the end of the third quarter as the Lions had a first-and-goal situation from the Aggie 5. They then had the ball at the one-yard line on third down, but were called for a false start penalty and then loss a yard on their next play.

Blake Abbot came on to kick a 25-yard field goal on the first play of the fourth quarter to make it a four-point game at 35-31, but Delaware Valley responded with 19 straight points to seal the game.

Ramos found the end zone for the second time as his four-year run made it 41-31 with 12:40 remaining. The Lions turned the ball over on a sack and fumble and, on the second play, Knoblauch hit Lenzie Davis for a 19-yard touchdown just 31 seconds after Ramos' score. Knoblauch completed the Delaware Valley scoring with a two-yard touchdown that was set up by Ramos' 49-yard punt return.

TCNJ hit the scoreboard one more time with 2:08 to go as Schurtz from Alan Kotteles from four-yards out.
The Lions appeared to be in total control of the game in the early going as Schurtz hit Joe Franzone for a five-yard touchdown pass and, following a blocked punt, Hedgepeth went in untouched from a yard out for a 14-0 lead.

Delaware Valley used the big play to get back in the contest as Knoblauch hit a streaking Marshall for a 57-yard catch-and-run as Marshall dragged defenders for extra yards. It led to Ramos' first score and the young Aggie team settled down.

Marshall finished with four catches for 86 yards and a score while Wallace added four catches for 73 yards and a score. Davis paced the Aggies with five receptions for 68 yards and one touchdown. Ramos had 51 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries.

Defensively, Delaware Valley allowed just three points in the second half until the final two minutes of the game. The Aggies also recorded all three of their sacks in the second stanza, including 1.5 by Matt Wallick. One of Wallick's sacks led a fumble that was recovered by Robert Wilkins. Carlo DeAngelo had 12 tackles to lead the team.